Training to failure

[treefingers]

I have been told by a number of people that training to failure is bad. Is this true? And if so why, biologically speaking, is it bad to do?

 

[Warlord]

I don't think it's bad, I recommend you do it once in awhile.

 

[PeterNorthisawesome]

If you do it wrong it'll cause over training which = injury.

 

[Centaurion]

training to failure at every set could be bad as you can fry your CNS system.

 

[treefingers]

Fry your CNS? Are you sure? Do you have any sources or proof for that?

 

[Warboss Alex]

Some bodyparts should be trained to failure, some shouldn't .. simple as.

 

[rudygee2]

Can you elaborate some Warboss?

 

[Warboss Alex]

Well, heavy squats and deadlifts should never be taken to failure because of the safety factor .. in fact most quad and back exercises shouldn't.

Likewise, calves, forearms and abs are smaller muscle groups which get enough stimulus from high-rep straight sets (plus all the other musclegroups' work) so training to failure on them would most likely be overkill.

The rest could probably stand up to failure training but it depends on your recovery.

 

[[S]alvatore]

If you're planning on training muscle groups twice a week, don't do it.

 

[Centaurion]

CNS burnout normally results in a complete drain of energy, and inability to work the muscles effectively. And you can burn out your CNS if you constantly go to failure. Just to explain what the CNS is, I'm quoting Keith Wassung from www.wannabebig.com

Ok, I will try to give you a brief answer. All activitity in the body ( including muscular contraction) is controlled and coordinated by the nervous system. When you apply a load onto your muscle (one that is has not previously experienced) your body "responds" by re-organizing its neural structure and pattern. It does this because its much easier to do and less costly (from a metabolic standpoint) than to build new muscle. This is why you normaly get stronger before you get bigger, in terms of muscle growth. its just more efficient for the body to respond that way. This patterning is called "neurological efficiency". Guys who develop a lot of muscle without a lot of increase in strength tend to have poor neurological efficiency-so the only thing their body can do is to grow-the guys who can get real strong tend to have fantastic neurological efficiency ( and strong tendons and ligaments as well)


Muscle twitching is the result of minor local muscle contractions or the uncontrollable twitching of a single muscle group served by a single motor nerve fiber or filament. It is somewhat normal and may be caused by a number of things-low blood sugar, deyhydration, magnesium defiency, fatigue, etc. Sometimes its the result of normal pattern resetting and growth. It is really not a problem unless it becomes a chronic condition, in which case you need to get checked by a doctor. I think you need to take a closer look and your pre and post workout nutrition. The mods can probably help you with that.

Hope that helps

Keith

I'm not in the mood to go reference hunting, but be my guest, a simple googling should give you more than enough.

 

[Centaurion]

Originally posted by alvatore
If you're planning on training muscle groups twice a week, don't do it.

Why?

It's statements like this that make me think you got no idea about training.

 

[rudygee2]

Originally posted by Warboss Alex
Well, heavy squats and deadlifts should never be taken to failure because of the safety factor .. in fact most quad and back exercises shouldn't.

I was always under the impression squats should be done balls to the wall...is this not correct?

 

[Centaurion]

I think he was refering to failure of form. When doing DLs and squats you stand a good chance of injuring yourself if you do it with incorrect form.

And you can do squats 'balls to the walls' without going to failure. God knows I always bust ass doing squats without going to failure.

 

[Shiftkey]

Most people get injured when they train PAST failure by doing the exercise incorrectly. Training TO failure, with a spotter and/or safety bars is the way to go.

 

[[S]alvatore]

Originally posted by Centaurion
Why?

It's statements like this that make me think you got no idea about training.

That's not what my personal training certificate says. If you are going to train your muscles twice a week you cannot go to failure, if you do you will crash.

 

[AgonyUncle]

OMG.

Not only are most of you advocates of low volume training, but you are saying dont train till failure?

I say this again. Muscle grows through stress. If you are not breaking them down in the gym, your body wont be repairing them to create new stronger, BIGGER muscle. Your body uses protein to repair damage to muscles, leading to size and strength increases. If you are not breaking them down, you are not building them up. THIS IS LAW

If you are doing less then 10 work sets (not including warmups) on a major muscle group, you need to hit them hard. Your core exercises, such as presses, lifts and squats, should be done as hard as possible. At least four of your ten work sets should be done till failure.

In some cases, after failure, you can reduce the weight and continue to rep out until failure (drop sets), or even use power partials to maximise failure.

It all depends on what your goals are. If you are looking to build muscle, then put some effort in. If your body cannot cope with 10 work sets on a major muscle group, you are not eating enough or resting properly.

You need to put some sweat into this gig chaps. If you are training low volume, you NEED to train till failure. If you are using higher volumes, you still need to train to failure, but not on every set. I dont see how anyone training for more then a year is going to break past plateaus if they are not pushing themsleves.

 

[Centaurion]

This is why discussing BB on this forum is as retarded as special olympics. I suggest you all seek out proper weightlifting forums in order to educate yourselfs in this topic. A good start would be www.wannabebig.com

 

[Warboss Alex]

Originally posted by rudygee2
I was always under the impression squats should be done balls to the wall...is this not correct?

EVERYTHING should be done balls-to-the-wall - but that doesn't always mean going to failure and certainly doesn't mean compromising form. Safety first, always.

*isn't gonna get into the high/low volume argument - but will say some people respond to high volume, others respond to low*